For some, it is not enough to buy a guitar—the challenge of designing and hand-making a unique, customized instrument is the dream. Since 1986, these people have turned to one book: Make Your Own Electric Guitar. Written in a clear, relaxed style, it covers every facet of guitar design and construction, as well as electronic theory and practice, and full woodworking and wiring techniques—all supported with plenty of photos and diagrams. Now in a revised and expanded edition, Make Your Own Electric Guitar will enable any musician or enthusiast with basic woodworking skills to create a uniquely valuable instrument.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
87 of 87 people found the following review helpful
By Ringo_43
Format:Paperback
This book represents a well-thought out, very complete guide for anyone wishing to build their own guitar. Several introductory chapters guide you through the steps of designing your own instrument and address specific possible problem areas such as frets, truss rods, neck angle & bridge height, saftey, proper tools, laying out hardware positions, etc.
The next three chapters give step-by-step construction notes for three specific guitars. (A carved-top set neck model, a flame-maple topped tele, and an 8-string bass featuring some exotic woods) These three guitars were well choosen for this book: between the three of them you get just about any characteristic you'd want on an instrument.
Final chapters deal with finish, set-up, and asembling a guitar from components. Although the author is British, Americans shouldn't have any trouble - measurments are given in inches and metric, and the author has taken care to explain most British slang terms in USA-friendly terms. The writing itself is very well done, easily understood, and has enough humor to lighten the mood without spoiling it.
Out of several similar books I've seen/read, I would vote this one as best written and most complete.
28 of 28 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
I enjoyed this book. I found it pleasant to read while giving thorough coverage to the three main styles of solid body guitar construction (bolt on neck, glued in neck, and neck-through-body). After the introductory chapters, a guitar of each of these styles is built from start to finish in separate chapters. These serve as an excellent example of the unique features of each of the three designs. The author spends considerable effort to point out strengths and weaknesses in well known designs from the major manufacturers. This is presented to help the reader in the design phase. He also covers the critical relationship between neck angle and bridge height more thoroughly than I have seen in any other book. Despite the title, this book covers only SOLID body guitar and bass construction. No coverage is given to archtop or hollow body electric guitar styles.
25 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Melvyn Hiscock has a unique gift not only in building electric guitars but also in his writing. From the very first pages the old mysticisms surrounding electric guitars are dispelled. Leo Fender kept thing simple and how many of his fuitars are sold today? Melvyn's approach is the same by keeping each step simple. The book is packed with excellent photographs and diagrams and his section on electrics is brilliant, no schematics just again simple step by step instructions. Anyone who buys this book will without doubt, in a versy short space of time build and play their own guitar, and if they are anything like me get bitten by the building bug. Thank you Melvyn Hiscock.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pretty Great
I sought out this book after having heard about it while lurking in the (pretty great) projectguitar. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Eric Stoegbauer
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Book!
This book may be old, but the information was most helpful. The methods are primitive, but you can adapt them to modern tooling. Buy this book.
Published 4 months ago by Taco_Edge of Excess
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book, I built my first bass with it!
I love this book, I used it to build my first 5 string bass (neck through body design),
and I've read it since at least 4 more times, every time I discover new information... Read more
and I've read it since at least 4 more times, every time I discover new information... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Shimon Harel
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great referance book for the DIY guitar builder
You must by this book if you are contemplating your own build. Read it a couple of times to absorb the wealth of information contained before you start your project.
Published 5 months ago by Keith watson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Twenty-three years later...
I checked this book out of the library when I was fourteen (in 1988) and between flipping through the pages and studying a bass that my uncle had built about twenty-three years... Read more
Published 18 months ago by Thomas R. Lynham
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great
This product is awesome. He did an incredible job with writing this book and it ha been a tremendous help in the creation of my first electric guitar. Thanks a lot!!
Published 19 months ago by Jackson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great informative book
This book is a must have for wanna-be guitar builders. A great informative book that covers a whole lot about guitar building. Has examples of 3 different style guitars. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Mudfoot
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good But Could have been better
this book is good but could have been alot more presise i wanted a book that told me what i needed to do. a book that had specifics this was not really it.
Published on May 20, 2011 by Tatiana Nunez
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very Good Book - One of the Two Best on the Subject!
This one of the three highly recommended books I own on the subject & would strongly recommend it, if you don't already have it. Read more
Published on April 19, 2011 by Xavier De La Pluma
5.0 out of 5 stars
Primary source
If you intend on making your own guitar/bass or just want to understand the process, this is the one. Other books are good, but this should be the primary one you use.
Published on April 4, 2011 by John Readit
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